Intermittent Rainfall Provides Relief Amid Looming Drought in Karnataka
MANGALURU: Amid the looming drought crisis, several districts in Karnataka have experienced rainfall accompanied by lightning over the past few days.
Active North East Monsoon conditions have been observed over Coastal, Malnad, and South Interior Karnataka districts, while weaker monsoon conditions prevailed over North Interior Karnataka districts in the 24-hour period ending at 8.30 am on Nov 6, according to the Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre (KSNDMC) data.
The highest recorded rainfall during this period was at Chennaithodi, in Bantwal Taluk, Dakshina Kannada District, with an impressive 150.5 mm.
The forecast predicts scattered to widespread light to moderate rains, with isolated heavy rainfall likely over parts of Coastal, Maland, and interior districts of the State until the morning of Nov 7.
Based on the latest rainfall data from the TRG Stations across the state for the last 24 hours, widespread rains were observed in six districts of Karnataka, including Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Hassan, Shivamogga, Davanagere, and Chikkamagaluru. Fairly widespread rains were reported in Chitradurga, Bengaluru Rural, Chikkaballapura, and Chamarajanagara. Scattered rains brought relief to nine districts: Uttara Kannada, Kodagu, Tumakuru, Haveri, Vijayanagara, Kolar, Mysuru, Mandya, and Ballari. Isolated rains were observed in Raichur, Bengaluru Urban, Koppala, and Ramanagara. However, eight districts, namely Gadag, Bidar, Kalaburagi, Bagalkote, Dharwad, Belagavi, Yadgir, and Vijayapura, experienced dry or negligible rains.
According to the cumulative rainfall data gathered by the Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre (KSNDMC) from Oct 1 to Nov 5, in South Interior Karnataka, the normal rainfall is 152 mm, while the actual rainfall reached 61 mm. In North Interior Karnataka, the normal rainfall is 113 mm, and the actual rainfall recorded is 12 mm. The Malnad region enjoyed 103 mm of rainfall, compared to its normal 172 mm, while the coastal districts received 178 mm, close to their normal rainfall of 201 mm.
According to the IMD, a cyclonic circulation lies over the Southeast Arabian Sea off the Kerala coast in the lower and middle tropospheric levels. It is likely to move west-northwestwards towards the Southeast and adjoining Eastcentral Arabian Sea.
Under its influence, a Low-Pressure Area is likely to form over the Eastcentral Arabian Sea around Nov 8.
A trough runs from the Southeast Arabian Sea and adjoining Lakshadweep area to Westcentral Bay of Bengal & adjoining south Andhra Pradesh coast in lower tropospheric levels. Under the influence of these systems, Light to moderate fairly widespread to widespread rainfall is very likely over south Peninsular India during the next 4-5 days and decrease thereafter.
Isolated heavy rainfall is very likely over Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Lakshadweep on Nov 6, Rayalaseema and Coastal Karnataka on Nov 6 and 7, over Kerala-Mahe during Nov 6-9, and over Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Karaikal, and South Interior Karnataka during Nov 6-8.
